Fastening for casket coverings



c G.'THUMM. FASTENl-NG FOR CASKET COVERINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-20,192l- 1,412,299. Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CASKET COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, YORK.

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF 'NEW FASTENJ ING FOR CASKET COVERIN GS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Application filed January 20, 1921. Serial No. 438,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN G.THUMM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in .Fastenings for Casket Coverings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of a portion of a metallic casket showing my invention applied thereto, the plane of section being on the line I-I of F igure 2; V

Figure 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure l; I

' Figure 4 is a plan view of the Figure 5 is a clamping member;

My invention has relation to metallic caskets and more particularly to means for fastening or clamping the inner cover to the body of the casket,

An object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is of simple character and construction and which can be quickly applied.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will insure an effective seal between the inside cover and the body of the casket.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which I have shown the preferred embodiment thereof, and which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes can be made in the details of construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In this drawing the numeral 2 designates a metal panel which is rigidly secured to the interior of the body portion of the casket by welding or in any other suitable manner. This panel is of stepped form at its upper inner portion, forming the three upwardly facing ledges 3, at and5. 6 designates the inner cover having the horizontally bent rim portion 7, at the underside of which is secured a compressible packing strip or gasket panel; and perspective view of the S of suitable character and which is designed to seat upon the lowermost ledge 23. l

9 designates the post or shank portion of a clamping member which is provided with suitable bearings carried by the panel. This clamping member has the overhanging arm 10 at its upper end carrying a clamping screw 11 which is designed to be screwed down against the upper surface of the cover rim 7 and thus compress the gasket 8 against the seat The clamping member is seated or inserted in position by slipping the post portion 9 through the key-hole shaped slot l2 in the ledge t of the panel, this shape of slot being provided in order to pass a short lug 13 formed on the post or shank portion 9 and extending in the opposite direction to the overhanging arm 10. 14 designates a reinforce and bearing bracket which is rigidly secured within the panel, this bracket having portions lying below the ledge 4 to form. the bearing for the post 9 and also reinforcing the ledge 4,; It also has the portion 15 extending directly underneath the ledge 3 and forming a reinforce for the ledge 3 to receive the action of the clamping screw 11. The said bracket also has the cutawayportion 16, the lug 13 engaging the upper edge of this cutaway portion to prevent any upward movement of the clamping device, and its vertical wall 17 acting as a stop to hold the clamping member in its clamping position.

It will be understood that a number of clamping devices similar to the one herein shown and described are employed along each side and at the ends of the casket, these devices being spaced at suitable intervals. After the inner cover is seated in the position shown in the drawings, these clamping devices are inserted by turning them into a position in which the lugs 13 will pass through the slots 12. They are then turned substantially 90, thus engaging the lugs 13 with th cutaway portions 16 of the brackets l t. The clamping screws 11. are then turned down to tightly seat and compress the gasket 8.

The ledge 3 preferably has a width somewhat greater than the thickness of the gasket 8, so as to form a space 18 between the outer edge of the casket and the adjacent vertical wall of the panel step. If desired this space may be filled with any usual or suitable sealing compound which will further insure an air-tight oint between the parts.

The construction is a very desirable one for the purpose, being simple and easily applied. The partsare so constructed and arranged that the requisite clamping pressure can be exerted without breaking either the clamping devices or distorting the panel.

I claim: 7

1. Means for securing a cover on a casket body, comprising a member formed with an upwardly facing bearing surface, and a rotatably mounted clamping device having a removable engagement with said member and provided with a bearing therein, said de vice having an arm overhanging said bearing surface and carrying a clamping element, said device also having a lug extending in the opposite direction to said arm, the first named member having means (to-operating with said lug to normally prevent upward movement of the clamping device, substantially as described.

2. Means for securing a cover on a casket body, comprising a member formed with an upwardly facing bearing surface, and a rotatably mounted clamping device having a removable engagement with said member and provided with a bearing therein, said device having an arm overhanging said bearing surface and carrying a clamping element,

said device also having a lug extending in the opposite direction to said arm, the first named member having means co-operating with said lug to normally prevent upward movement of the clamping device, and also having means acting as a stop for the clamping device, substantially as described.

7 3. Means for securing a cover on a casket body, comprising a member formed with an upwardly facing bearing surface, and a rotatably mounted clamping device having a removable engagement with said member and provided with a bearing therein, said device having an arm overhanging said bearing surface and carrying a clamping element, said device also having a lug extending in the opposite direction to said arm, the first named member having means co-operating with said lug to normally prevent upward movement of the clamping device, said first named member having a reinforce extending underneath said bearing surface to receive the thrusts thereon, substantially as described. V

a. The combination with a casket body, of a panel secured to the upper interior portion thereof, said panel having an upwardly facing ledge forming a seat for the rim portion of a cover, a clamping device rotatably mountedin said panel and having clamping means for engaging the cover, and a min forcing and bearing bracket secured to said panel, said bracket having a portionwhich extends directly underneath the said ledge to reinforce the same, and another portion extending in the opposite direction and forming a combined stop andbearing for the clamping device, substantially as described. c

5. The combination with a casket body, of a panel secured to the upper interior portion thereof, said panel having an upwardly facing ledge forming a seat for the rim portion of a cover, a clamping device rotatably mounted in said panel and having clamping means forengaging the cover, and a reinforcing and bearing bracket secured to said panel and having portions extending underneath said ledge to reinforce the same, and other portions which form a bearing for the clamping device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set m hand.

CHRISTIAN e.- THUM-M. 

